A LABOUR OF LOVE

If you’re looking for the embodiment of the passion, pride and love that goes into every bottle of Tomatin, Martin’s your man.

Previously a shepherd, in the hills between Nairn and Tomatin, Martin gave us a ring back in 1988 on the off chance there were any jobs available at the distillery. There weren’t, but luckily when one became available Martin accepted and he has now been one of our dedicated craftsmen for 27 years.

Now as Head Mashman, he is responsible for the fermentation stages of our whisky production process – taking our malted barley through the Mill, the Mash Tun and the Wash Backs leaving us with wash (at this stage, it is similar to beer), ready to be distilled in the next part of the process.

Learning this skill is something that never ends, according to Martin.

“I first learnt on the job as I shadowed for about 6 weeks, then I would say it takes a good 6 months to really know what you're doing, but you are always learning. You get to know what the sounds of the Mash Tun mean but there is always something new.”

Loyal to Tomatin, Martin lives in the distillery housing with his wife, who also also works at the Distillery. Surrounded by the soft landscapes of the Highlands it is easy to see why he has never really left.

“I’ve been abroad once with my father, but I am a home kind of person, I have no desire to leave, why would I?”

That’s something we are happy to drink to, with Martin’s favourite, our 18 Year Old Single Malt. Slàinte.